Knitting-machine.



No. 786,938! A I PAZIHEBITED'APR.11,1905.w

. J. W. A AMS.

KNITTING MACHINE."

APBLIUATION FILED AUG. 23, 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1,

"WlTNE'SSEb, INVENTOR;

W Y V mszwwm/mflmz UNITED STATES Patented April 11, 190.5.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH WILLIAM ADAMS, OF WISSINOMING, PENNSYLVANIA,'ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS. OF ONE-HALF TOLEO J. FISHEL AND ARTHUR J. WATERMAN, OF BRISTOL, PENNSYLVANIA.

KNITTING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 786,938, dated April 11, 1905.

Application filed August 23, 1902. Serial No. 120,751.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH WILLIAM ADAMS,

I ject of equalizing the tension upon the opposite faces of the fabric during the operation of knitting with latch-needles, so as to produce a ribbed fabric which is more elastic than can ordinarily be produced with such 15 needles.

Generally stated, my improvements comprise the addition to the ordinary knittingcams of an auxiliary cam-incline arranged to tighten the loops upon the last oftwo opposed 20 sets of needles which successively engage the thread. In the embodiment shown the needles in the cylinder set first engage the thread, which is then engaged by the needles of the dial set, and the auxiliary cam-incline is lo- 2 5 cated in the cylinder and tightens the loops upon the dial-needles before they are cast off. It is characteristic of such embodiment that the individual needles of the dial set are projected and retracted once for each loop en- 3 gaged, and the individual needles of the cylinder set are projected and retracted twice for each loop engaged, whereby the tension of the loops upon the respectively opposite sides of the fabric is equalized, as hereinafter 3 5 described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I is a plan view of a portion of a two-feed knitting-machine embodying my improvements. It is to be understood, however, that my in- 4 vention is applicable -to machines having any number of feeds. Fig. II is a diagrammatic view, including a plane development of the cam-cylinder and the perimeter of the dial, showing the relative projection and retraction 45 of the individual needles of the opposed sets. Fig. III is a fragmentary plan sectional view showing the adjustable connection of the auxiliary cam in the cam-cylinder. Fig. IV is a fragmentary plane development of a cam-cylinder, showing a modified form of my invention. Fig. V is a diagrammatic view showing three successive steps in the shaping of the loops upon the edge of the fabric.

In said figures, 1 is the frame of the machine, comprising the cam-cylinder 2, inclosing the needle-cylinder 3, provided with the set of'needles 4. The yoke 6, projecting from said frame 1, supports the stationary cam-disk 7 and the rotary needle-dial 8, in which latter are mounted the series of dial-needles 10. Said cam-disk 7 supports the thread feeds or guides 12, which may be of any desired number, each comprising a vertical member 13, provided with an aperture 1 1, through which the thread is delivered to both sets'of needles. Said guides are stationary with respect to the needle-cams, and. the location of said apertures 14: with respect to the needles in the cylinder set is shown diagrammatically in Fig. II.

The knitting-cams which actuate'thetwo sets of needles 4 and may be of any preferred construction, and I have not shown the cams which actuate the dial-needles, but have shown the cams which actuate the cylinder-needles in order to show the relation of the same with respect to the auxiliary camincline, which is characteristic of my invention.

. The cylinder-needles 4: are progressed with respect to the cam-cylinder 3 in the direction indicated by the arrow shown in Fig. II and carry with them the dial-needles 10. Said Fig-II is intended to show diagrammatically the relative circumferential positions of the regions of projection and retraction of the respective sets of needles and also the relation of the individual needles 4: and 10, respectively, to the top edge 15 of the needle-cylinder 3 and the outer edge 16 of the dial 8, which edges serve to cast off the loops from the respective sets of needles. The vertical overlapping of the two sets of needles in said figure is not significant. It is to be noted that although both sets'of needles 4: and 10 receive the thread 17 from a common guide-aperture rious modifications may be made therein with- 14 the cylinder-needles 41 are retracted to form loops 18 before the dial needles are retracted to form loops 19. Likewise the needles 1 cast off their old loops at the top of the cylinder (indicated in Fig. II by the line before the needles 10 cast off their old loops at the edge of the dial. (Indicated in said figure by the line 16.)

For each set of knitting-cams 2O 21 22 the cylinder 3 is provided with an auxiliary cam 23 and 24, arranged to retract and project each needle 4 a second time following the engagement of the thread 17 by the needles 10 and while the needles 1 retain the same loops 18, so that the individual dial-needles 10 are projected and retracted once for each loop 19 engaged, and the individual cylinder-needles 41 are projected and retracted twice for each loop 18 engaged. The effect of such operation is diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. V, wherein the right-hand loop 18 is drawn in the edge of the fabric 25 by a cylinder-needle 4 riding down the ordinary cam-incline 21 to the region 35. (Indicated in Fig. II.) Then the loop 19 is made contiguous to said loop 18, as shown at the center of Fig. V, by the retraction of a dial-needle 10 in the region 36. (Indicated in Fig. II.) So far the operation is that ordinarily employed, and the result is that the loops 18 are shortened, as indicated at the center of Fig. V, by the traction on the thread to form the loops 19. However, in my invention the loops 18 and 19 are finally equalized, as shown at the left-hand side of Fig. V, by the second retraction of the cylinder-needles 4, engaged with the loops 18, said needles being drawn down by the cam 23 in the region 37. (Indicated in Fig. II.)

I find it convenient to so arrange the cams 23 in the cylinder 3 as to be vertically adjustable therein to precisely determine the relative size of the loops 18 and 19, and such adjustment is conveniently effected by loosening the screws 26, which are entered through the slots 27 in the cam-cylinder 3 and retain the cams-23 in adjusted position therein.

Although I find it convenient to provide auxiliary cams 23, which may be inserted in ordinary cam-cylinders provided with cams 20, &c., it is obvious that both retractive movements of the needles 1 may be effected by a single cam, such as that shown at 28 in Fig. IV, wherein the incline 29 is equal to the incline of the cam 21, and the incline 30 is equal to the incline of the cam 23. Said cam 28 may be adjustably mounted in the camcylinder 3 by means of the screw 31, entered through the slot 32 in said cylinder.

I do not desire to limit myself to the precise details of construction and arrangement which I have shown, as it is obvious that vaout departing from the V essential features of my invention.

I claim 1. In a rib-knitting machine, the combination with two opposed sets of needles and main cams arranged to actuate the same to form and cast off loops; of means arranged to equalize the length of the loops respectively formed by the two sets of needles, comprising an auxiliary cam in stationary relation with the main cam of the cylinder-needles, arranged to lower the cylinder-needles relatively to the dial-needles; and, means maintaining said main and auxiliary cams in such relatively stationary position that the length of the loops formed in the fabric by the cylinder-needles is determined by said auxiliary cam, substantially as set forth.

2. In a rib-knitting machine, the combination with a cylinder provided with aset of needles; of a dial provided with a set of needles; main cams arranged to actuate said needles so thatthecylinder-needles loop the thread before the dial-needles; means arranged to equalize the length of the loops respectively formed by said two sets of needles, comprising an auxiliary cam, arranged to lower the cylinder-needles relatively to the dial-needles and thus lengthen the loops on the cylinder-needles and shorten the loops on the dial-needles, before the latter cast their loops; and, means maintaining said main and auxiliary cams in such relatively stationary position that the length of the loops formed in the fabric by the cylinder-needles is determined by said auxiliary cam, substantially as set forth.

3. In a rib-knitting machine, the combination with a cylinder provided with a set of needles; of a dial provided with a set of needles; main cams arranged to actuate said needles so that the cylinder-needles loop the thread before the dial-needles and cast their loops before the dial-needles; means arranged to equalize the length of the loops respectively formed by said two sets of needles, comprising an auxiliary cam arranged to lower the cylinder-needles relatively to the dial-needles, and lengthen the loops on the cylinder-needles and shorten the loops on the dial-needles before the latter cast their loops; and, means maintaining said main and auxiliary cams in such relatively stationary position that the length of the loops formed in the fabric by the cylinder-needles is determined by said auxiliary cam, substantially as set forth.

1. In a rib-knitting machine, the combination with a cylinder provided with a set of needles; of a dial provided with a set of needles; main cams arranged to project and retract the individual needles of one set once, for each loop engaged; main and auxiliary cams arranged to project and retract the individual needles of the other set twice, for each loop engaged; and, means maintaining said main and auxiliary cams in such relatively stationary position that the length of the loops thereby formed in the fabric is determined by said formed in the fabric by the cylinder-needles is determined by said auxiliary cam, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereofI have hereunto signed 5 my name, at Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, this 22d day of August, 1902.

JOSEPH WILLIAM ADAMS.

Witnesses ARTHUR E. PAIGE, LEO J. FISHEL. 

